Newsmakers

Staff additions, promotions at Texas newspapers.

CLAIRE KOWALICK
Times Record News
Wichita Falls – Claire Kowalick, who has held numerous positions within the Times Record News newsroom since 2006, was named editor Nov. 30, succeeding longtime editor Deanna Watson, who accepted a position over three USA Today Network newspapers in Indiana.
Kowalick becomes the second woman, after Watson, to serve as editor of the more-than 100-year-old newspaper.
She started at the newspaper as an obituary clerk, a position with delicate responsibilities, taking care of the important details of a grieving family’s life.
She also served as assistant copy desk chief, military reporter and senior editor, city and county reporter and an editing coach for other reporters. 

JEFF OSBORNE
Karnes Countywide
The Progress
BEEVILLE – Jeff Osborne has assumed duties as editor of the Karnes Countywide and The Progress, serving Live Oak and Mullen.
Previously, Osborne served as editor of two other Coastal Bend Publishing properties, the Refugio County Press and the Goliad Advance-Guard. He has been with the company since it purchased six newspapers in the Beeville area.
Osborne has more than 26 years experience in the news business, including at the Waco Tribune-Herald, Temple Daily Telegram, Waxahachie Daily Light, Brazosport Facts and Waco Today magazine. He was also editor of the Fort Bend Herald and the Stephenville Empire-Tribune.
The appointment was announced by Coastal Bend Publishing Content Director Kevin J. Keller.

THOMAS LEFFLER
Goliad Advance-Guard
Refugio County Press
BEEVILLE – Thomas Leffler has taken over as editor of the Goliad Advance-Guard and Refugio County Press.
The appointment was announced by Coastal Bend Publishing Content Director Kevin J. Keller.
Leffler is a 2018 graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where he worked on the student newspaper, the Daily Collegian. 
He came to Texas in 2019 and worked with the Fairfield Recorder and Teague Chronicle.

TRAVIS  HUFFMAN
The Vindicator, Liberty
LIBERTY – Travis Huffmans has joined the staff of the Vindicator as managing editor.
He and his family have been residents of the area for two generations. 
He has experience in editing children’s books and he started his own comic book publishing company in 2005, Last Sentry Comics. He writes two comic book series and travels throughout Texas on the comic book convention circuit.
For more than 25 years he has also worked in the retail industry, including 19 years in leadership with Walgreens, including a stint in Dayton.